Astra Comes to a Decision
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 49976
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Astra came to a decision. She would try to escape whilst she had the
opportunity. And since she could not hope to slip away from Hesht, she
would be truthful with him. She whispered so that only he could hear: "I
don't want to wait for Doazda to return, which might take some time. I
imagine that the effect of yesterday's bad weather is likely to delay him
by at least a day. I doubt that he would attempt to cross the big canyon
the same way that we did, and the alternative would no doubt be a lengthy
detour. This seems to be the best opportunity to leave that I'm likely to
get before he gets back. Also I don't trust Boomer and his friends. So I'm
going. Do you want to come with me? If I recall what you told me when we
set off from Golabi, it's at most a day's journey to the border from here
and the trail is fairly easy, so I should be all right on my own if you
don't want to come."
Hesht was unsure how he should respond. To assist Astra would get him into big trouble with Boomer, and perhaps with Doazda too. But would Astra really be all right on her own? It was true that the rest of the trail was much easier, if she could manage to get back onto it. But she would need to find it first. Also the afternoon was by now well advanced, and it would be getting dark in another couple of hours. She would be leaving without any supplies, too. Furthermore Boomer would no doubt mount a search for her once he realised that she was gone. She was unlikely to get more than an hour's start, perhaps considerably less. What would happen to her if she was recaptured? He doubted that Boomer would go so far as to kill her, because he would not want to risk Doazda's wrath when he got back, but whatever measures he took would surely be highly unpleasant for her. And even if Hesht didn't go with Astra, mightn't Boomer blame him for not preventing her from escaping?
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JH
4/5/2005 11:22:11 AM
Extending Enabled
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